Condo milestone inspections in Miami

Milestone and recertification in one plan

Miami-Dade's recertification schedule puts coastal condo and co-op buildings built from 1998 at 25 years and other buildings built from 1993 at 30 years. The state milestone rule runs from the certificate of occupancy. Ask the engineer to scope one inspection that meets both where the city allows it, and file each report the way its program requires.[2][4]

After the report in the City of Miami

The city gives 60 days after filing a recertification report to obtain repair permits without a violation. Under state law, repairs for substantial structural deterioration found in a Phase 2 report must commence within 365 days.[3][4]

Milestone inspection rules in Miami

• Buildings built in 1982, 1983 or 1984 that show as overdue cannot use the city's online process and have to contact the recertification team directly.
• Because the city applies Miami-Dade's Code s. 8-11(f), the county's age rules decide the due year. Coastal condo and co-op buildings built from 1998 within three miles of the coast come due at 25 years, and most other buildings built from 1993 at 30.
• In 2025 Miami-Dade accounted for 23 of the 24 buildings in Florida found unsafe or uninhabitable after milestone inspections.
• The city says to expect a response in about six weeks, and takes questions at buildingrecertifications@miamigov.com or (305) 416-1177.
• Across Miami-Dade, building officials counted 308 required Phase 2 milestone inspections in 2025.
• The city allows one extension, for a $500 fee, and only if it is requested before the due date.
• Once a report is filed, the owner has 60 days to obtain the repair permits it calls for without a violation being issued.
• For threshold buildings, the county guidelines the city applies call for separate structural and electrical engineers, and the structural engineer shows proof of structural specialization.

How we handle milestone inspections in Miami

A City of Miami condo tower files the state milestone inspection and the county recertification through the same iBuild and ProjectDox route. Lining them up matters because the city leaves little slack, one paid extension asked for before the due date and 60 days after filing to pull repair permits, so we schedule the engineer to deliver both reports together where the city accepts it.[3][4]

Permits for milestone inspections in Miami

• City of Miami Building Department, Unsafe Structures Services: Recertification and milestone filings, extensions and repair permits inside city limits

When is a milestone inspection due?

By 31 December of the year the building reaches 30 years from its certificate of occupancy, and every 10 years after that. If the certificate date is not available, the building official's records of occupancy set the date. Buildings that turned 30 before 1 July 2022 were due before 31 December 2024, and those that turned 30 between 1 July 2022 and 31 December 2024 were due before 31 December 2025.[4]

Is it 25 years within 3 miles of the coast?

Not automatically any more. The 2022 law set 25 years for buildings within 3 miles of the coastline. The 2023 law (SB 154) replaced that with a local choice, so the local enforcement agency now decides whether local circumstances, such as proximity to salt water, require 25 years. Many South Florida departments chose to keep the 3-mile line; Tampa and Pinellas use 30 years. Check your own department.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

How do Phase 1 and Phase 2 work?

• The building department sends written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested.
• The association tells unit owners within 14 days, with the due date.
• Phase 1, a visual examination and qualitative assessment, is completed within 180 days of the notice, when the architect or engineer submits the report to the building department.
• Phase 2, with destructive or nondestructive testing, is required only if Phase 1 finds substantial structural deterioration. A progress report with a timeline is due within 180 days of the Phase 1 report.
• The association sends the inspector's summary to every owner within 45 days of receiving a report.
• Repairs for substantial structural deterioration must start within 365 days of the Phase 2 report.

Who performs the inspection?

An architect licensed under chapter 481 or an engineer licensed under chapter 471 who is authorized to practise in Florida. A team may do the work with an architect or engineer as the registered design professional in responsible charge, and all work and reports are signed and sealed by the qualified team member. We arrange and coordinate the inspection; the professional performs it and seals the report.[4]

Frequently asked questions